


Waiting for you

by younganddoomed



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-21
Updated: 2020-03-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:08:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23245276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/younganddoomed/pseuds/younganddoomed
Summary: He's always been patient with Frank from the beginning
Relationships: Frank Iero/Gerard Way
Comments: 2
Kudos: 96





	Waiting for you

Gerard’s adjusting his hair in the hallway mirror when Mikey’s face appears behind him, rolling his eyes. “It’s just drinks with Lindsey and Jamia, who cares what your hair looks like”. Gerard just sighs and follows him out the door. They’ve both known Lindsey and Jamia since high school, and still regularly catch up for drinks when they can all manage to find time. It’s Friday night and they’re meeting at some bar that Gerard thinks he’s been to, but can’t quite remember. Not that it really matters.

By the time they get there they’re running slightly late (his hair looks great though no matter what Mikey says), and they have to stand awkwardly for a minute in the doorway scanning the room before they see them. There’s a guy seated at the table with them that neither of them have met, and Gerard is instantly taken with him. He’s gorgeous, wearing a Batman shirt and his hair is curling slightly in a way that shouldn’t be so enrapturing but is. Lindsey and Jamia are smiling, and they both give an enthusiastic greeting before introducing everyone. “Guys this is Frank, he works at the magazine with us. Frank this is Gerard and his brother Mikey”. Frank smiles timidly at them and quietly says “Hi”. Gerard smiles back.

***  
3 months later and Gerard has hopelessly fallen for Frank. Just mentioning his name has him grinning stupidly, which never fails to result in Mikey making retching noises or rolling his eyes. After that night at the bar Gerard had asked for his number and had begun regularly talking to him and spending time with him. Another couple of weeks and he nervously asks Frank out on a date. He’s surprised when he looks slightly alarmed, eyes widening and arms crossing defensively, uttering out a “No, sorry” in response. He apologises, and they move on. Things are awkward for a little while, and Gerard is certainly confused and a little bit hurt, but he enjoys Frank's company in a way that he hasn’t with anyone in a long time, so he lets it go and moves on. He wonders if he’s just a poor judge of character, because most of the time he gets the impression that Frank likes him back. 

***

Time moves on and suddenly he’s known Frank for 6 months. He decides to try asking him to be his boyfriend again. He’s more confident now that his feelings are reciprocated, can see it in the way that Frank smiles at him sometimes, a little shy smile that makes his stomach flutter every time he receives it. He’s never seen anyone else have that smile directed at them, and it feels special. He’s taken to complimenting Frank at every chance he gets, and feels delighted every time he blushes and stutters out a thank you. He’s beginning to understand Frank more and more with each interaction, can read him with more ease. 

There’s always a respectable space between them, and Frank will often flinch away if he accidentally brushes his hand or touches him unexpectedly. He seems to be the same way with everyone though, so Gerard doesn’t take it personally. He’s a patient person and he’s willing to give Frank time to feel comfortable around him. When he asks the second time the answer is less immediate, but still the same - “No”.

***   
After the second rejection Gerard decides to just be content with what they have. Mikey thinks it’s a stupid idea and wastes no time telling him that (“He doesn’t feel the same way Gerard, move on already before you get hurt”). The thing is though that Gerard finds it hard to connect with people, and because of it he’s 35 and he’s only dated 3 people. He’s already accepted the fact that he rarely falls for people, and would honestly rather have someone like Frank that he can spend time with and feel happy around, then have nothing at all. The companionship is enough for him, even if Mikey can’t understand that. 

He focuses on making Frank happy. Even if they’re not dating he takes him out for dinner often, his art selling well enough that he’s happy to splurge, and the look on Franks face is always worth it. They’re out one night after seeing a movie, walking back in the cold to Gerards car when Frank slips his hand into Gerards. When he looks at Frank in surprise he’s staring straight ahead, but he’s blushing. He feels deliriously happy. He gives Franks hand a small squeeze and then opens the car door for him when they arrive, feeling on top of the world. 

That night he lays in bed smiling at the ceiling, and feeling like a lovesick teenager. 

***  
The hand holding becomes a regular thing. At first Frank always initiates it, but eventually Gerard starts reaching for his hand whenever they’re out together too.

***  
They’re out getting coffee one day, facing each other at a table in a Starbucks with their hands clasped across the table top when Gerard reaches out to brush some hair off Franks face. He’d been idly running his thumb across his hand, and Frank had looked relaxed until a piece of hair had fallen into his eyes with a slight breeze from the door opening. His hair has always been long, and it seems to bother him all the time, but he always freaks out when Gerard mentions getting it cut shorter. As soon as Gerard reaches for his face his expression changes instantly and he tenses up and pulls away from him. “Don’t”. He sounds mildly panicked, and Gerard instantly withdraws his hand. “Sorry sweetheart, I didn’t think” he says gently, moving back to give Frank space. He watches Frank, concerned and wanting to make him feel better, but unsure of what to do. “Are you ok?” he asks in a soft voice, studying Frank's face carefully. Frank takes a minute to answer. “I really don’t like my hair being touched”. His voice is so quiet that Gerard nearly misses it. He’s careful to avoid his hair after that.

***  
Hand holding turns into hugging, which becomes regular cuddling. They’re essentially a couple, but Frank still looks alarmed when Gerard brings up making them official, so he stops asking. Mikey is less than impressed by this, telling Gerard that he’s being used, that he should tell Frank to commit or fuck off. He ignores Mikey.

They’re curled up on his couch together under a blanket one night and Frank has been constantly brushing hair out of his face and looking frustrated, which isn’t an unusual occurrence. “Why don’t you get it cut?” Gerard suggests gently, running his hand soothingly up and down Franks side. “It’s obviously bothering you”. Frank just looks at him, eyes wide and expression vulnerable. “You’d be ok with that?” he asks quietly, a slight tremble to his voice. Gerard gives him his best reassuring look, trying to cover his confusion. “Of course love, I just want you to be comfortable”. 

Frank keeps glancing at him the rest of the night. He looks worried, but Gerard just holds him close and occasionally turns to meet his gaze with a gentle smile. When Frank goes to leave he hovers in the doorway looking unsure, before asking timidly “You’re sure it’s ok if I get my hair cut?”. He’s fidgeting and looking at the floor, and it makes Gerards heart ache to see him acting like this. “Hey, Frankie look at me”. Frank meets his eyes, and Gerards sure for a second that he looks scared, but then it’s gone and he’s not sure if he imagined it or not. “It’s your hair, you can do whatever you want with it sweetheart”. Frank gives him a small smile in response.

***  
Frank's new haircut is much shorter, although he’s left some length around his face so that it still curls around his ears. Gerard thinks it suits him incredibly well, and when he tells him this Frank blushes and looks pleased. He’d been tense when he’d first shown Gerard, but had relaxed as soon as Gerard had shown his approval of the cut. 

He’s happier in general with shorter hair, something that Gerard notices immediately. He’s more confident, but mostly he seems less on edge and much more relaxed. Gerard can’t help but smile more too.

***  
They’ve been sort of dating for over a year when Frank first kisses Gerard. It’s a small peck on the cheek, but it means the world to Gerard. One kiss on the cheek turns into many, and soon it’s a regular thing. One day they’re in Gerards kitchen when Frank gives him this look, face open and full of love, and leans up on his toes to kiss Gerard on the mouth. It’s one of the most intimate kisses Gerards ever had, his hands coming up to hold Franks waist, Franks hands in his hair and curled around his neck. They kiss softly for a couple of minutes before Frank pulls away to smile shyly at him. 

He introduces Frank to his parents. 

***  
Kisses become one of Frank's favourite things, and Gerard will often press one gently to the corner of his mouth, or his jaw, or his wrist. Frank still won’t let him call him his boyfriend. It barely stings anymore.

***  
It’s been 2 years when Gerard touches Frank's hair. They’re on the couch at Frank’s place listening to music when Frank lays his head in Gerard’s lap. He looks up at him, face fully trusting and asks if he’ll stroke his hair. Gerard reaches down and gently brushes a strand of hair away from his face and behind his ear, and feels incredibly touched when he leans into the touch instead of flinching away. They stay that way for a long time, Gerard stroking his hair gently, occasionally moving his hand to run over his shoulders and back, before coming back up to his head. Gerard has never felt so close to him. 

***  
Mikey looks pissed off when Gerard tells him that he loves Frank. Frank looks pleased and almost as though he doesn’t believe Gerard. It takes another 6 months before he says it back. To Gerard it’s worth the wait. 

***  
They move in together after 3 years of this thing they’ve been doing. Gerard has never been happier. Frank seems nervous for weeks after, but eventually relaxes. They spend most nights curled around each other.

***  
Gerard gets offered a gallery showing in the city and the next few weeks pass by in a blur. The night before the opening event Mikey asks what he’s planning on introducing Frank as to everyone and it makes Gerard hesitate. He talks to Frank about it when he gets home from work that night. He can see the understanding on Frank's face when he asks, then watches as he hesitates before eventually saying quietly “You can call me your partner if you want”. It’s the closest they’ve gotten to being official, and it makes Gerard absurdly happy when he’s introducing him the next night, arm loose around Franks waist. 

***  
It's a warm night in January when Frank finally tells him about his ex. They're both laying in comfortable silence. Gerard is beginning to doze off when Frank nudges him and quietly asks if he's still awake. Gerard turns to face him and presses a gentle kiss on the corner of his mouth in response. Frank whispers to him in the dark, tells him about the ways his last boyfriend hurt him. How he would hit him, call him names, punish him. His voice is so quiet Gerard can barely hear it when he talks about being raped and used. About wanting to die. He tells him about having his hair pulled, his head forced into the table or down towards his crotch. How he'd say 'don't you love me?', how he'd used the word boyfriend as an excuse. Gerard can't help it when he starts crying. 

***  
Frank starts therapy a month later. 

***  
When they have sex for the first time Frank cries afterwards and Gerard is so scared, but Frank just tells him he didn't realise it could feel like that. It takes a long time for him to stop feeling overwhelmed. 

***  
They use the word partner to refer to each other, never boyfriends. Some days Gerard has to work hard to convince Frank he loves him, that he's not leaving, but he's patient. 

He's always patient.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so dumb haha I forgot I was the one who wrote this and started reading it, felt silly when I was like 'wait isn't this my fic??' Then I got to the end and realised I hadn't actually finished it, so decided to write something and post <3


End file.
